Jennifer Simmons forcibly takes 2 kids, assaults/leaves 3rd one in foster home

**Dakota Valkyrie** · May 4th, 2008, 01:05 PM

Two people who abducted two children from CPS care in Mohave Valley are apparently on foot after their car was found, deputies said.

The children and another sibling were recently removed from their mother by CPS and placed in a temporary home. Authorities said believe the pair kidnapped the children after assaulting the third child, a 10-year-old.

Jennifer A. Simmons, 31, and Raymond Richard Bowen, 46, abducted Simmons' two children, Cali Herrera, 9, and Frankie Herrera, 6, around 7 p.m. Saturday, deputies said.

Simmons and Bowen claimed they had a gun when they took the two children, deputies said.

Cali Herrera is described as 5 feet tall and weighs 100 pounds. She was last seen wearing a pink tank top and pink shorts. Frankie Herrera is described as 4 feet tall and weighs 90 pounds. He was last seen wearing a white tank top and blue shorts.

Simmons is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 176 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a white T-shirt with red stains and blue shorts. Bowen is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 180 pounds. He also has brown hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a gray tank top and blue jeans.

People with any information should contact the Mojave County Sheriff''s Office at 800-718-4601.

http://www.kpho.com/news/16154817/detail.html

Way to play favorites, Mom! Want to bet the third child had guts and spoke up about conditions at home that led to them being removed? If so, YEAH KID!

**Jaded** · May 4th, 2008, 02:49 PM

Attractive lookin' couple there...

Shitheads...

**jlt080405** · May 4th, 2008, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by Dakota_Valkyrie

Way to play favorites, Mom! Want to bet the third child had guts and spoke up about conditions at home that led to them being removed? If so, YEAH KID!

I would bet the same, probably was sticking up for the other kids and spoke up about abuse as well..

**nurseronda** · May 4th, 2008, 03:24 PM

Don't you just love it when one of your kids turn you in for abuse and then the CPS comes to your house to investigate and finds out that the kid lied? That is the reason most times a kid turns in their parents for abuse and CPS has a hard time figuring which kids are telling the truth and as they weed through the many who lie and then there is a kid that is telling the truth that has to wait for CPS to get to this kid while the abuse continues.

**Mom of 4** · May 4th, 2008, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by nurseronda

Don't you just love it when one of your kids turn you in for abuse and then the CPS comes to your house to investigate and finds out that the kid lied? That is the reason most times a kid turns in their parents for abuse and CPS has a hard time figuring which kids are telling the truth and as they weed through the many who lie and then there is a kid that is telling the truth that has to wait for CPS to get to this kid while the abuse continues.

God Lord WTF happened here? Not ever did I leave a kid behind when I removed kids from an abusive home. If I decided someone was an unfit parent that meant they were unfit parents PERIOD. Thats the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Issue number 2? If I remove kids from an abusive home I do not EVER let them know where the kids are at! That takes some time after working with the kids on a one on one and if I have the slightest thought that mom and dad are the type to show up at the foster families and make trouble it doesn't happen at all unless a judge orders it! I really hope CPS dropped a few balls here as opposed to this being business as usual? I am stunned and that takes a lot!

**nurseronda** · May 4th, 2008, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by Mom of 4

God Lord WTF happened here? Not ever did I leave a kid behind when I removed kids from an abusive home. If I decided someone was an unfit parent that meant they were unfit parents PERIOD. Thats the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Issue number 2? If I remove kids from an abusive home I do not EVER let them know where the kids are at! That takes some time after working with the kids on a one on one and if I have the slightest thought that mom and dad are the type to show up at the foster families and make trouble it doesn't happen at all unless a judge orders it! I really hope CPS dropped a few balls here as opposed to this being business as usual? I am stunned and that takes a lot!

Momof 4, it happens when one of the kids call the mom and dad and tell them where they are at because as bad as the parents are with those kids, they still love them.

**w8ng4msrgt** · May 4th, 2008, 04:04 PM

I thought I had read earlier that they were at a relatives house. I hope they find them soon.

**Mom of 4** · May 4th, 2008, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by nurseronda

Momof 4, it happens when one of the kids call the mom and dad and tell them where they are at because as bad as the parents are with those kids, they still love them.

Lord that is a huge NO NO! That is number one on my list of rules for foster parents. The kids were only 6 and 9 so monitoring their phone use is a must. This is all recent that they were removed from their home for allegations of abuse. Keeping the kids safe is priority number one and that means the abusive parents get no contact and no location until an investigation in finished. I still am dumbfounded they left the 10 year old in their care and took the 9 and 6 year olds.

**nurseronda** · May 4th, 2008, 04:15 PM

Mom of 4, the parents were the ones who left the third child in the foster home. It could be that the third child was the one who turned them in to CPS and that is the reason they left that one behind.
It may be a no no to the foster parents, but kids can be sneaky and do call parents that they were taken away from.

**Mom of 4** · May 4th, 2008, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by w8ng4msrgt

I thought I had read earlier that they were at a relatives house. I hope they find them soon.

A relatives house? Well that clearly wasn't a good plan in light of what took place. I am betting CPS has been involved with this family before. The lovely mother look like a Meth user in her picture.

**Mom of 4** · May 4th, 2008, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by nurseronda

Mom of 4, the parents were the ones who left the third child in the foster home. It could be that the third child was the one who turned them in to CPS and that is the reason they left that one behind.

They found out where these kids were, went there and abused the 10 year old and then kidnapped the younger 2??

Leaving the 10 year old behind?? WTF?? Sorry I have read the story a couple times but I have a migraine so maybe my brain is on coast LOL:D

If thats the case I am at least happy to know CPS did not leave one kid in their care. They still should never have access to their location. Thats is standard here. When you remove kids from an abusive home parents are never happy with you or the situation. In light of the fact that they are abusing or possibly abusing their own children thats reason enough right there for not giving them the location. If visits are granted they are supervised and occur in a neutral location (here it is usually in the CPS office).

I just pray these children are ok.

**nurseronda** · May 4th, 2008, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by nurseronda

Mom of 4, the parents were the ones who left the third child in the foster home. It could be that the third child was the one who turned them in to CPS and that is the reason they left that one behind.

The children and another sibling were recently removed from their mother by CPS and placed in a temporary home. Authorities said believe the pair kidnapped the children after assaulting the third child, a 10-year-old.

That part of the post makes me think that the 10 year old was the one who turned them in.

**ImmortalOne** · May 4th, 2008, 06:02 PM

Okay... so they get pissed off, because now not only do they feel like unfit parents, but they KNOW they are.... and decide that the other 2 are still "salvageable" or maybe the 10 yr old just put up a fight to not be taken as well.

As far as the foster home being kept private. Yes, that is my understanding as well. However, where there is a will there is a way. All the parents sometimes need to do is to follow the social workers who are returning the children after a visit. There are a lot of ways, especially in todays day and age of technology and cyber information.

**Mom of 4** · May 4th, 2008, 08:07 PM

They found them. This story has more detail and it sounds like the foster mom found these kids and actually took a shot at the father with her own shot gun.

http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news...042008-CR.html

Mohave County sheriff's deputies located two children, 9-year-old Cali Herrera and her 6-year-old brother Frankie around 1pm Sunday and arrested the children's mother and another man without incident.

31-year-old Jennifer Simmons and 46-year-old Raymond Bowen were charged with mulitple counts of kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, endangerment, assault and burglary.

Saturday evening the pair forced their way into the Mohave Valley Equestrian Center, where the children were staying with three other siblings. Andrea Smith runs the center and told 12 News she had been taking care of the kids since last week. "April 30 I got a call from a neighbor who said the kids are abandoned," said Smith. "I said, 'who's with the kids?'. They said 'no one, they have no food, they're hungry, they've been there a couple days.'"

Smith said she, her daughter and the kids were getting ready to watch a movie Saturday night when Simmons arrived. Smith said after Simmons pushed her way into the house, Smith's daughter stood in front of the children and tried to fight her off. Meanwhile, Smith said she saw a man coming up the driveway and grabbed her rifle. "I said, 'you're the only thing standing between me and my kids and my daughter and I said, if I have to shoot you to go through you I will,'" said Smith. "And he said, 'well I got one of those in my car.' And that's when I shot and it whizzed right over his head." Smith said Simmons walked outside the house, using her son Frankie as a shield. Simmons was able to grab Cali and kidnap both children.

A statewide Amber Alert was issued shortly afterward. By midnight investigators suspected the children and their kidnappers were on foot. Sunday afternoon sheriff's deputies found them in a home in Mohave Valley. The children are now in the custody of Child Protective Services. Be sure to watch 12 News for more on the story.

**Dakota Valkyrie** · May 4th, 2008, 08:19 PM

What a whack-job. What did she think she was gonna do? Gather up a posse and spring the rest of the kids?

Those poor kids. All however many of them there are.